[What can I say? We wanted to do it, and we just kept forgetting.]

<JETMODE> *Several months ago, on a wholly unassuming and insignificant day, an ancient dragon was summoned in battle and destroyed half the arena. In the days following, the chaos of rebuilding and reordering left the perpetrator of the deed almost forgotten.

<JETMODE> *Almost.

<JETMODE> *Fresh from her heavily guarded stay at the infirmary, Genoa has recovered enough to stand trial.

<JETMODE> *Half the arena has turned out for the even, since almost everyone at least knows of someone who was hurt or killed in the attack.

<TIAMAT> *Whisper and Kender are probably undoubtably there -- though we must remember that they're not an item yet. I suspect Jarod got dragged along as well, though Cassie's probably at home with her mother, who was one of those injured in the attack.

<JETMODE> *Pacheco is presiding, as he often is, but he doesn't seem quite as bored with the proceedings this time. In fact, he's in a fairly bad mood.

<TIAMAT> *And, for the first time, our party lays eyes on Devan Teal, who is, as usual, doing the questioning. He looks to be in as bad a mood, if not worse, than Pacheco.

<TIAMAT> *Also as per usual, it takes a while to get the crowds settled down. When a the courtroom is relatively calm, Teal clears his throat loudly. "Bring her in!"

<JETMODE> *A couple of apprehensive guards bring Genoa into the courtroom. If anything, she looks irritable about the whole business, and she walks fast to keep them hurrying as she takes her place. On the whole, her demeanor is defiant and unrepentant.

<TIAMAT> *The crowd boos loudly, some hissing and yelling nasty comments about Genoa and her parentage.

<JETMODE> *The comments about her parentage only cause her to grin nastily, as she heartily agrees with many of them.

<TIAMAT> *Teal barks some orders to his guards and yells at a certain unruly observer, who hmphs and sits back down, glaring darkly at Genoa.

<JETMODE> *Genoa rolls her eyes. "Can we please get on with this?"

<JETMODE> *Pacheco gives her an annoyed look -- at least partly because he was thinking the same thing.

<TIAMAT> *Teal turns to Genoa, an icy look in his eyes. "Genoa Rivermarch, you are accused of summoning the dragon Jajara to this Arena and, as a result, destroying much of the facility and killing several innocents and injuring several more. How do you plead?

<JETMODE> *Genoa stares at him a moment, then laughs out loud. "Tell me, what am I supposed to plead? Almost everyone here saw me do it."

<TIAMAT> *Teal, coolly: Answer the question.

<JETMODE> <Genoa> *matching his tone with ease* Guilty.

<TIAMAT> *Teal, darkly: Then you admit to openly attacking the Arena and its occupants?

<JETMODE> <Genoa> *blinks* What?

<TIAMAT> *Teal: You heard me. By pleading guilty, you admit to attacking the Arena?

<JETMODE> <Genoa> *crossly* I certainly do not. I didn't intend to attack anyone. All I did was summon the dragon.

<TIAMAT> *Teal raises an eyebrow. "The dragon that caused a great deal of damage and suffering. If you didn't summon it to attack the Arena, then why did you?"

<JETMODE> <Genoa> *gives him the kind of bland stare one generally reserves for the very, very stupid* In order to defeat the monster. *shrugs* And to see if the legends about the dragon's grave were true.

<TIAMAT> *Teal sighs a bit, rubbing his eyes and forehead. He turns back to Genoa, looking cross and a little frustrated. "And so, with the knowledge that the dragons' grave is, indeed, true, would you summon it again if given the chance?"

<JETMODE> *Genoa looks thoughtful for a moment, as if actually considering the question. When she looks back at Teal, she's wearing a remorseless smile. "In a heartbeat."

<TIAMAT> *Teal gives her an extremely nasty look, then whirls around to face Pacheco. "No more questions, Your Honor."

<JETMODE> <Pacheco> *flatly* I should say not. *he turns a beady stare on Genoa, who sniffs and looks away*

<JETMODE> <Pacheco> Though the court would dearly love to do otherwise, I am hereby forced to sentence this woman to at least a year in solitary confinement. Upon her release, she is banned from competition in the games and subject to immediate return to prison in the event of .. *pauses* .. anything at all unusual happening.

<JETMODE> *Genoa gives him an incredulous look. "You must be MAD."

<TIAMAT> *Teal glares darkly. "Unfortunately, Miss Rivermarch, while you are still connected to the dragon Jajara, you do command some hold over him -- however little it may be -- which prohibits us from ... *he pauses for a moment, as if searching for the term* ... sentencing you to the standard punishment.

<JETMODE> *Genoa laughs again. "What a delightful farce. Are we finished here?"

<JETMODE> <Pacheco> *clears his throat, eyes dark* Yes, I believe we are.

<TIAMAT> *The crowd, by the way, is muttering darkly -- several people gasped and a few screamed curses when they heard the sentence, and almost everyone is giving Genoa hateful looks.

<TIAMAT> *Teal nods curtly to his guards, who grab Genoa's arms and march her out through the back door.

<JETMODE> <Pacheco> *mutters, half to himself* Tell me again why we opted for a public trial.. *lifts his head and raps his gavel sharply* Adjourned!